Organized in Illinois in 1833
by Daniel Parker
Members moved to Texas
First meeting in
Stephen F. Austin's Colony
January 20, 1834
Log church built December, 1839
Old graveyard adjoins.
Present church fourth on the same site . . . — — Map (db m36924) HM

In 1900 the Texas & New Orleans Railroad, now part of the Southern Pacific line, platted the town of Frankston. The station was first called Frankport and the post office Ayres. Both were renamed Frankston in 1902 for Miss Frankie Miller, who gave . . . — — Map (db m102007) HM

(Front):John H. Reagan (Right):"The Old Roman's highest ambition was to do his full duty; consciousness of having done it was his ample reward." (Left):"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor . . . — — Map (db m17496) HM

(Front and southwest side): Located 6.5 miles southwest during the Civil War this salt works was assigned to produce salt for the Confederacy at a fixed price of eight dollars for a hundred-pound sack. Private customers from East Texas, . . . — — Map (db m31881) HM

On May 25, 1965, from one of 7,400 producing oil wells in the county's 196 fields, came the Billionth Barrel of Andrews County crude oil.
In the 35 years and 5 months since oil flowed from the county's discovery well, C.E. Ogden No. 1, in Dec. . . . — — Map (db m61377) HM

Descendant of a Virginian who fought in the American Revolution. Came to Texas at 17 for health. Served (1898-1899) in Spanish-American War, Co. K, 1st Texas Inf. Vol. Regt. Later took up ranching in Andrews County. Married Jessie Whitten; had 4 . . . — — Map (db m61373) HM

One of last frontiers of Texas. Anglo settlement here lagged 60 years behind rest of state due to Indians and scarcity of water.
In 1886 O.B. Holt became first man to file for county land. First settlers included the Cowden brothers and Peter . . . — — Map (db m61375) HM

Named for old town of Florey, established as a post office 7 miles to the northeast in 1909, prior to the organization of Andrews County, June 1910.
In heart of the Means Oil Field, opened 1930, this park is at site of a 1934-1958 camp of . . . — — Map (db m61421) HM

In 1941 the Fullerton Oil Company of California struck oil near this site, and by 1945 more than 100 drilling rigs were in operation. The discovery brought great numbers of workers into the area, resulting in the establishment of the town of . . . — — Map (db m61418) HM

Organized in 1907 by circuit preacher F.T . Pollard and seven charter members. The group held services in local school until 1912, when a one-room church was built, financed by donations of members, including a generous gift from rancher J.S. Means. . . . — — Map (db m61379) HM

Founded when Andrews County was organized, in 1910, on land owned by Robert Madison Means (b. 1878). With his father, J.S. Means, "Bob" Means began homesteading here in 1899 and organized an abstract company in 1909. When Andrews battled Shafter . . . — — Map (db m61374) HM

First town in yet-unorganized Andrews County. Platted 1908.
Named for lake charted in 1875 survey of Col. Wm. R. Shafter, whose maps and victories over powerful Indians opened the Permian Basin to settlement.
Water trough built by John . . . — — Map (db m61420) HM

In 1875, Col. Wm. R. Shafter and a company of soldiers traveled from Fort Concho (where San Angelo is today) to Monument Springs, N. Mex., charting the arid plains, mapping all the vital watering places.
This marker is in the only town of . . . — — Map (db m61376) HM

Andrews County produced it’s 2nd billionth barrel of crude oil August 21, 1981. Sixteen years and 96 days after its first billionth barrel came from beneath the county’s 1500 square miles.
In producing two billion barrels in 52 years, Andrews . . . — — Map (db m61378) HM

Founded in 1889 by a small group of Methodists, this church has played an integral role in the history of the community. H. and Nannie Belote donated land to the congregation in 1894, and the first church building was completed in 1901. It was moved . . . — — Map (db m30331) HM

The community of Burke was established along the Houston, East and West Texas Railroad in 1882. S.J. and Nancy Arrington conveyed one acre of land adjoining the town on which to establish a public school. The first building, a one-room structure, . . . — — Map (db m37848) HM

The Angelina County School Board created Fairview Common School District Number 69 in the late 1800s. A one-room schoolhouse was built that served students from a wide rural area. The first school term, in 1898, was five months long.
Fairview . . . — — Map (db m79121) HM

This school traces its origin to five small schools in the Pollok-Central area; Union, Durant, Pollok, Clawson, and Allentown. An effort to solve the problem of inadequate funding for each of these rural schools led to their consolidation in 1929 as . . . — — Map (db m29237) HM

This burial ground, which contains over 3,000 graves, has served area residents since the mid-1800s. In 1860, Nathan W. Gann, who came to Texas with his family in 1836, donated this property and a church building he constructed to Williams Chapel . . . — — Map (db m28290) HM

A sawmill established here in 1894 by T.L.L. Temple gave rise to a town that by 1900 contained a commissary, post office, churches, homes, and schools run by the Southern Pine Lumber Company. The town was named for the Diboll family of New Orleans . . . — — Map (db m30360) HM

Emporia Lumber Company co-owner S.F. Carter and M.T. Jones purchased over 5,000 acres of land in south Angelina County and established a company town named Emporia in 1893. The town included sawmill facilities, a railroad spur to ship lumber, . . . — — Map (db m37824) HM

This congregation was founded about 1897, soon after Diboll was established as a sawmill town. Early worship services were held in a local schoolhouse and in a two-story structure shared with the local Baptist congregation and fraternal . . . — — Map (db m38057) HM

Built about 1908 by T.L.L. Temple for his Southern Pine Lumber Company employees, this building served for many years as a community library and recreation hall. While the lower floor included a reading room and recreational facilities, the upper . . . — — Map (db m38050) HM

The community of Prairie Grove began in 1845 and became a place for early settlers to gather. A cemetery began in 1849 when the young daughter of John M. and Caroline Stovall died. In the 1880s a school/church building was erected near the cemetery, . . . — — Map (db m79123) HM

Founded 1866, after new settler, Rev. Issac Ryan, had Methodist revival in home before occupying it. His brother John was one of 19 charter members. L.H.D. and Sallie Guinn gave 7.5 acres for church and cemetery. First 16 by 20-ft. church had . . . — — Map (db m37821) HM

Settlers attempted to form a townsite in this area in the 1890s, but it was not until the arrival of the railroad lines that it attracted a thriving population. Carved from virgin forests in the heyday of the southern pine timber industry and . . . — — Map (db m34882) HM

When Angelina County was organized in 1845, Alabama native Joseph Herrington (1823-89) was one of six men appointed by the legislature who set boundary lines and selected Marion as the first seat of government. That same year, at the age of 22, he . . . — — Map (db m32054) HM

In 1690, when Spain's Franciscan Fathers founded Mission San Francisco de los Tejas in East Texas, they found a young Indian girl living with her people beside a stream. The priests found her a willing ally for carrying the Catholic Faith to the . . . — — Map (db m27249) HM

Chartered in August 1900 and headquartered in the sawmill town of Keltys, the Angelina and Neches River (A&NR) Railroad began as a small short line railroad to move logs from the woods of East Texas to the mills of the Angelina County Lumber . . . — — Map (db m29735) HM

Created and organized in 1846. Originally a part of Nacogdoches County. Bears the name of the river traversing the region. The following towns have served as the county seat; Marion,1846-1854; Jonesville,1854-1858; Homer, Feb. 3 - May 17, 1858, when . . . — — Map (db m29862) HM

June 1, 1933 - February 10, 2010
United States Naval Officer and
12-Term United States Representative, 2nd District of Texas
A Sonnet to Charlie
Now before us in bronze, he once again stands tall:
Beloved Texan, who heard his . . . — — Map (db m39781) HM

Founded 1882. Soon became a thriving sawmill community. Named for E.P. Lufkin, chief of crew that surveyed railroad through town. Has been county seat of Angelina County since 1892. Now a regional manufacturing and commerce center. Products include . . . — — Map (db m28715) HM

The boom town of Ewing stood for two decades on the west bank of the Angelina River. Named for plantation owner James A. Ewing, the town was located near a rail line and virgin hardwood forests. In 1919 H.G. Bohissen purchased a 100-acre tract of . . . — — Map (db m32058) HM

Chartered with nine members, the Lufkin Baptist Church began conducting worship services soon after rail lines reached the townsite in the early 1880s. The Houston, East & West Texas Railroad donated land at this site to Joseph Kerr, E.H.F. . . . — — Map (db m27247) HM

A Christian church was organized in Angelina County about 1884 in Homer, the county seat. When the railroad line from Houston to Shreveport was built about 5 miles from Homer, the town of Lufkin was built around the depot. Many citizens of Homer . . . — — Map (db m57551) HM

Margaret (Fullerton) Abney, born in Alabama in 1829, joined the Methodist church with her family at a camp meeting held at nearby McKendree campground in 1863. Because the nearest Methodist church was ten miles away, Mrs. Abney held bible study . . . — — Map (db m28482) HM

The U.S. Army began building POW camps in the United States in early 1942 for captured Axis prisoners. During World War II, the Army shipped almost 425,000 military prisoners to 511 camps in the U.S. Approximately 50,000 of those POWs, primarily . . . — — Map (db m29450) HM

In 1854 W.W. Manning established a drugstore and sawmill in this area, and named the community after his former home in Homer, Louisiana. In 1856 Homer was chosen as Angelina County seat, following a mandate from the Texas Legislature to locate a . . . — — Map (db m31713) HM

The Houston East and West Texas (HE&WT) Railroad came through Angelina County in 1882 and a community named Bitterweed Flat developed here. In 1913 W.E. Hoshall purchased land and timber rights in the area and began shipping logs from Hoshall Switch . . . — — Map (db m36108) HM

Regarded as the oldest Angelina County business in continuous operation, Kerr's began in 1870 as a general store in the early county seat of Homer (5 mi. SE). It was started by Civil War veteran Capt. Joseph Kerr (b. 1828), a native of South . . . — — Map (db m29153) HM

By the 1930s, radio had become an established medium for commercial advertising. In 1938, commercial radio came to Angelina County when Redland Broadcasting Association received the first license in the area. Station manager Darrell Yates financed, . . . — — Map (db m38722) HM

The naturally occurring Lindsey Springs, located approximately 3/4 of a mile northeast of this location, became the site in 1899 of the Southern Pine Lumber Company's first logging camp. The springs provided an important water source for this vital . . . — — Map (db m79122) HM

Telephone service in Lufkin began in 1898 when Dr. Alexander Madison Denman and his friend Judge Edwin James Mantooth strung telephone wires between their offices. The system was so popular that the pair soon formed the Lufkin Telephone Exchange . . . — — Map (db m29355) HM

Members of the Mantooth family came to Angelina County in 1858. Albert Edwin (Eddie) Mantooth (1874-1969) was born in Homer, Angelina County, to Albert and Mary Richard Hall Mantooth. In 1897, Eddie married Sarah Annie Atkinson Mantooth (1879-1914). . . . — — Map (db m58779) HM

The first Episcopal service in Lufkin was held in 1893 by the Rev. George L. Crocket for the W.G. Barron and R.B. Shearer families. St. Mary's Mission was established in 1895 by the Rev. C.M. Beckwith, but the congregation did not have a permanent . . . — — Map (db m26886) HM

Liberty Baptist Church, established in the Redland community in 1859, became Redland Baptist Church after reorganizing in 1895. Worship services were held in a local schoolhouse until 1924 when the congregation built its first sanctuary. A new . . . — — Map (db m28483) HM

David Webster Martin (d. 1916) and his two sons opened a small wagon shop here in 1908. An inventor and designer, Martin developed various wagons for use in the lumber industry. In partnership with B.L. Zeagler, he incorporated the operation as the . . . — — Map (db m27228) HM

At the turn of the century, a group of Lufkin men organized a town brass band. It later became known as the Hoo Hoo Band after representing Texas at a national convention of the Order of Hoo Hoo, an organization of American and Canadian lumbermen. . . . — — Map (db m29146) HM

First plant to turn southern pines into newsprint. Mill here revolutionized paper industry in the southern United States. Seeking local paper rather than foreign supplies, Southland was incorporated in 1938 and began operations, 1940. Its mills made . . . — — Map (db m28963) HM

Continuing efforts started in the 1920s by the Texas Forest Service (TFS), the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), established through the Emergency Conservation Work Act (1933) during the Great Depression, aided in efforts to preserve Texas forests. . . . — — Map (db m29427) HM

On the evening of March 2, 1913, an explosion destroyed the Houston, East & West Texas Railroad depot at this site, disrupting the town's vital source of transportation and trade. Although a body was not discovered, it was presumed a railroad . . . — — Map (db m29203) HM

The son of an early industrial engineer, W.C. Trout (1874-1947) came to Lufkin in 1905 and joined Lufkin Foundry & Machine Co. as a shareholder and company secretary. Already a successful inventor, Trout led the diversification of the shop from . . . — — Map (db m29852) HM

According to local tradition, this cemetery may take its name from the 19th-century Cole family home, a structure whose whitewashed exterior stood out from the majority of other log houses and frame buildings in the area. It lies on what was once a . . . — — Map (db m29713) HM

Founded as Warren Chapel Baptist Church in 1891, this congregation became known as Pollok Baptist Church in 1896. The first meeting place was shared by the Methodist and Presbyterian churches. Land acquired in 1906 by the Baptists was the site of . . . — — Map (db m29228) HM

Since the late 1800s, this cemetery has served the residents of the town of Pollok. Before the end of the 19th century, the Pollok community was established near a railroad. Here, Richard Blair built the settlement's first sawmill, setting Pollok's . . . — — Map (db m29229) HM

This part of Angelina County has long been called Red Land, or Redland, for the red soil ridge that forms the center of the community. In 1846, Thomas R. Walker moved into the area from North Carolina. In 1851, he wed Emily Z. Briscoe, and the . . . — — Map (db m26869) HM

Camp Nancy began as one of the many logging camps established in the piney woods of East Texas during the early 20th century. The camp was first created in Nacogdoches County, but was moved to the Angelina County community of Dunkin ca. 1918. Once . . . — — Map (db m37285) HM

This area-heart of the Piney Woods and the East Texas forest industry--was, in 1933, cutover forests and worked-out farms. That year the Texas Legislature authorized the establishment of national forests in the state.
Today Angelina, Davy . . . — — Map (db m37302) HM

According to local lore, George Lewis (1859–1895) donated one-half acre of land at this site to the Hispanic citizens of the area for use as a cemetery, provided that he be buried in the center of the land. Handmade stones indicate burials . . . — — Map (db m53744) HM

This aviation facility developed out of a need during World War II for additional air training sites for U.S. Navy Pilots. In 1942 the Aransas County Commissioners Court offered the Civil Aeronautics Administration the use of land in the county for . . . — — Map (db m53707) HM

Located on Aransas Bay, the city of Fulton has a history closely associated with the fishing and shipping industry. The town was founded in 1867 by Geroge Ware Fulton, whose mansion is an important local landmark. Schools, churches, and businesses . . . — — Map (db m53694) HM

Land for this community graveyard was set aside when the town of Fulton was platted by George Ware Fulton in 1868. The earliest documented burial is that of a child, Louis L. I. Greenough (1868-1869). The large number of childrens’ graves attests to . . . — — Map (db m53697) HM

Before the growth of fishing and tourism industries, Fulton was a community of only about 200 settlers. Although Sunday schools met in town, residents had to travel to Rockport for worship services. In 1943, Frank Walker, visiting the area on a . . . — — Map (db m53695) HM

Built between 1874 and 1877 by George Ware Fulton (1810 – 1893) and his wife, Harriet Smith Fulton (1823 – 1910), this imposing residence was named “Oakhurst”. The three-story French second empire style home is of plank wall . . . — — Map (db m53698) HM

Because early Fulton was surrounded by ranches and could be accessed by water, the town became a leading packing center on the Texas coast. The industry flourished from 1868 to 1882. Initially, the packeries rendered cattle hides and tallow only and . . . — — Map (db m58918) HM

Seafood has always been a Fulton staple. As early as the 1880s, commercial fishing for trout, redfish, sheepshead, turtles, and oysters had become significant for Fulton’s economy. About 1888, David Rockport Scrivner opened Miller Brothers Fish . . . — — Map (db m58913) HM

Home of
George W. Fulton
Born at Philadelphia, June 8, 1810
Served in the Texan Army in 1836
A pioneer resident of Refugio County
After an engineering career
of distinction elsewhere,
he returned to Texas and
became a cattle . . . — — Map (db m53700) HM

The ruins of this rendering vat mark the location of the Marion Packing Co. (spelled “Meriam” in some records), one of the dozen or more meat packing plants built in the Rockport-Fulton area in the 1860s and 1870s to process the huge . . . — — Map (db m53701) HM

Site of one of the homes of
James Power
Born in Ireland, 1789
Died in Live Oak Point, Texas, 1852
With James Hewetson
he was granted authority
January 11, 1828
to settle 200 families in Texas
Served Texas under three flags as . . . — — Map (db m53708) HM

In the mid-1920s, a camp known as the “Cool Coast Camp,” located just north of Fulton, was promoted as a resort. It boasted tree-shaded cabins and tents, with a 500-foot wharf with an open-air pavilion over the water. In the 1930s, the . . . — — Map (db m58916) HM

Mills Wharf, built by John Howard Mills in 1932, was a renowned center for waterfowl hunting and fishing from the 1930s until it was sold in 1960. It consisted of cottages, a cook house, a guide service office, a store, a tackle shop, and a unique . . . — — Map (db m63716) HM

Site of the town of
Lamar
Named for
Mirabeau B. Lamar
1798 – 1859
President of the
Republic of Texas
1838 – 1841
Established in 1838
Made a Port of Entry in 1839
Sacked by Union Troops
Feb. 11, 1864 . . . — — Map (db m53711) HM

Irish immigrant James W. Byrne (1787 – 1865), a veteran of the Texas Revolution, was an early settler of this area. He established the town of Lamar and with his wife Harriet, sold land on Aransas Bay to the Catholic Church for a chapel site. . . . — — Map (db m53717) HM

This burial ground originally served pioneer settlers of the Lamar community. Founded by James W. Byrne (d. 1865), a native of Ireland and a veteran of the Texas Revolution, it was named for his friend Mirabeau B. Lamar, former President of the . . . — — Map (db m53713) HM

Created out of the coastal portion of Refugio County in 1871, Aransas County is the second smallest county in Texas. Within its boundaries are three bays of the Gulf of Mexico: Copano, St. Charles, and Aransas. The area was the site of early Indian . . . — — Map (db m53582) HM

Aransas County Judge W.H. Baldwin, who promoted Rockport as a deep water port, lived in this house in the 1890s. George A. Brundrett, Jr., was a Confederate veteran and cattle rancher on 15,000 acres on Matagorda Island; his family lived here from . . . — — Map (db m61067) HM

Located on the waterfront in a community that has survived many hurricanes, this house was built about 1868 by Dr. John W. Baylor. In addition to his medical practice Dr. Baylor owned a local meat packing business, ranched, and worked to bring a . . . — — Map (db m53593) HM

Adolph L. Bracht (1872-1961) was born in Rockport and worked at lumber and grocery stores before establishing his own wholesale and retail grocery in 1899. He was a charter member of the Intracoastal Canal Association and active in the Chamber of . . . — — Map (db m53746) HM

Born Conger Neblett in Corsicana, and married to Jack Hagar in 1926, Connie Hagar received early training as a musician. She and her sister became interested in birds and worked as volunteers with the U.S. Biological Survey. The Hagars moved to . . . — — Map (db m53706) HM

Organized in 1873, the First Baptist Church of Rockport originally was located on S. Church Street. L.D. Young served as the first pastor. The hurricane of 1919 destroyed the first church building, but the members built a new structure at the corner . . . — — Map (db m53703) HM

The Methodist Church has been in existence in Rockport since about 1870. The Rev. H.G. Horton was assigned as pastor of the Rockport Church in 1872. The original Methodist Church building, erected at the corner of Live Oak and Bay Streets, was used . . . — — Map (db m53590) HM

Chartered on October 8, 1890, the First National Bank of Aransas Pass (now Rockport) was organized by a group of businessmen led by John H. Traylor, James M. Hoopes, George W. Fulton, Jr., James C. Fulton, and Richard H. Wood. Located at Main and . . . — — Map (db m53748) HM

This congregation traces its history to 1869. Although deactivated in 1879, it was reorganized with twenty charter members in 1889. The members met in facilities provided by other churches until their first house of worship was completed at Market . . . — — Map (db m53580) HM

Dubbed “Nine Mile Point” by early settlers, this island was first used commercially by the Cushman Meat Packing Company in the late 1860s. Austrian Franz Joseph Frandolig, a horseman who had delivered cattle to Cushman & Co., homesteaded . . . — — Map (db m53760) HM

Built about 1868, this vernacular early Texas home was purchased in 1872 by James C. Fulton, a noted early business and civic leader. Fulton sold the home in 1907 to his son-in-law, Albert L. Bruhl, a pharmacist and civic leader who served three . . . — — Map (db m53749) HM

Prominent local businessman and land developer James M. Hoopes (1839-1931) had this home built between 1890 and 1892. The home later served as a hotel and boardinghouse between 1894 and 1930. It was sold in 1934 to T. Noah Smith, Sr. (1881-1955), a . . . — — Map (db m53587) HM

John M. Mathis (1831-1922) had this home built for his family in 1868-1869. Instrumental in platting the town of Rockport, he served as its first mayor in 1870. In 1880 he deeded the house to his cousin, Thomas H. Mathis (1834-1899), a leading . . . — — Map (db m53594) HM

Built in 1906, this house was the vision of James Edward (J. Ed) and Josephine Kennedy Moore. The two were married from 1903 until 1915, when Josephine passed away. J. Ed was a business owner who served several terms as Rockport’s mayor between the . . . — — Map (db m53743) HM

Danish native Andrew Sorenson (1864-1941), established a reputation as a hunting and fishing guide in this area in the early 20th century. He bought 240 acres of land (.5 mi. W) in 1909 and in 1912 incorporated the private Port Bay Hunting and . . . — — Map (db m53761) HM

The town of Rockport was founded by cattlemen J.M. and T.H. Mathis in 1867. Originally a part of Refugio County, it became county seat of newly formed Aransas County in 1871. Shipping and fishing provided the primary economic base of the town in its . . . — — Map (db m53704) HM

This cemetery has served the citizens of Rockport and Fulton for over a century. The oldest marked grave is that of Emma Fulton (d. 1876), granddaughter of George Ware Fulton, who was instrumental in the development of the area and was interred in . . . — — Map (db m53596) HM

In 1935, Rockport Marine Lab was set up aboard the houseboat “Vivian” in Rockport Harbor to assist the Texas Game, Fish and Oyster Commission with Fisheries management. In 1947, a permanent lab was built on the harbor, a state of the art . . . — — Map (db m64468) HM

Rockport School has served the town of Rockport for many years as both an educational and community institution. It dates to 1935, during the era of the Great Depression. One of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs to combat the . . . — — Map (db m53578) HM

Before the arrival of the railroad in 1888, hotels in Rockport generally served clientele of the several local packeries. The Congdon Hotel was the leading hostelry of early Rockport and once served as a boarding home to the prominent Robert . . . — — Map (db m53769) HM

Rockport’s commercial seafood companies have been operating for more than one hundred years. By 1903, David Rockport Scrivner had opened a fish house. In 1907, he sold to Roy Jackson who named the operation the Jackson Fish Company. A few years . . . — — Map (db m53772) HM

Since 1866, wharves and piers have been a part of Rockport’s shores. The first wharf, constructed to ship cattle, was at Rocky Point. Other wharves handled commercial shipping and passenger traffic. Sorenson’s Wharf extended into the bay behind the . . . — — Map (db m53770) HM

Roman Catholic priests visited the Rockport area as early as 1838. The first mass in the town of Rockport was celebrated in the home of County Judge John Hynes in 1860, and services continued there for a number of years. Although property was deeded . . . — — Map (db m53585) HM

Shipbuilding was a natural industry for Rockport. The earliest recorded ship built here was the Connie, constructed in 1880 by Bludworth & Company. The Bludworth family specialized in building pleasure craft and scows.
In 1917, World War . . . — — Map (db m58824) HM

Built in 1889 by civic leader and politician John H. Traylor, the Aransas Hotel covered this city block. The three-story structure, a major tourist attraction in Rockport had about 100 rooms and a massive open dining room with a 200 person capacity. . . . — — Map (db m53583) HM

Shipping industries flourished on the Rockport waterfront by the 1880s. Heldenfels Shipyard was established here on 12.9 acres in October 1917. Four 281-foot wooden cargo vessels were to be built for military use in World War I; the . . . — — Map (db m53595) HM

Simon Sorenson, a native of Denmark, bought Brunner’s Mercantile at this site in 1886. The building was originally two stories, rebuilt after an 1895 fire. The Sorensons received weather reports by telegraph, posted updates in the display windows . . . — — Map (db m53592) HM

The Rt. Rev. Alexander Gregg, Bishop of the Diocese of Texas, officiated at the dedication of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Rockport on November 30, 1871. Led by lay ministers for much of its early history, St. Peter’s first was located at the . . . — — Map (db m53581) HM

Rockport’s original Big Blue Crab started out on the Del Mar Grill on Austin Street. In 1957, the Grill was run by Dorothy and Sal Silverman, and the specialty was Dorothy’s famous crab cakes. The Big Crab was 18 feet wide and 22 feet deep and was . . . — — Map (db m63660) HM

Tourism has been a major part of the Rockport economy for generations, but in the 1920s and 1930s with the rise of the automobile, more visitors began to travel to the area. The Cedars, built in 1928 by Dr. Joe and Mabel Bryant, became a popular . . . — — Map (db m60573) HM

This property was the site of the famous Rockport Cottages purchased in 1934 by Connie and Jack Hagar from Corsicana, Texas. Jack managed the cottages while Connie (1886–1973) pursued her passion for nature. Birds were Connie’s major interest, . . . — — Map (db m63659) HM

In early Rockport, many prominent families lived on what was called the Old Beach Road, now Water Street. Paved with white crushed shell, the road was lined with huisache, anacua, wild persimmon, prickly ash trees, dewberry vines, and stately homes. . . . — — Map (db m53767) HM

For more than 60 years, Rockport’s skyline was dominated by an imposing, three-story Moorish-inspired courthouse. It was the first major building designed by J. Riely Gordon, who would become one of Texas’ most famous architects. Born in Virginia in . . . — — Map (db m53768) HM

After the Civil War, Rockport became an important cattle ranching and shipping center. In 1866, James Doughty, T.H. Mathis, and John M. Mathis constructed cattle pens, with a long wharf that extended out into Aransas Bay from “Rocky . . . — — Map (db m53771) HM

The earliest newspaper in this area was “The Vaquero”, published by Charles F. Bailey and Geraldo A. Beeman in St. Mary’s in 1868. In 1869 Bailey moved to Rockport and founded “The Transcript”, which continued in operation . . . — — Map (db m53588) HM

During its early years Rockport relied on Gulf shipping for goods and services. After the arrival of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad in 1888, however, the town’s economic focus changed to include rail shipping and a burgeoning tourism . . . — — Map (db m53589) HM

In March 1948, Mrs. Fred B. Hunt issued a call to organize the Woman’s Civic Club. One of the club’s major early activities was financing a permanent building for the organization. Later that year the recreation building for Humble Oil Company . . . — — Map (db m53586) HM

The civilized world first heard of copper in this area from Texas Rangers after an 1860 campaign against Comanches on the Pease River, about 100 miles to the northwest. The Ranger Captain, Lawrence S. ("Sul") Ross, later to serve Texas as Governor, . . . — — Map (db m17912) HM

Established as the "Argus," Jan. 1, 1890, in the new railroad town of Claude. Later it merged with "Goodnight News" to become "Claude News." First publisher, W. S. Decker, sold paper to B. F. Hines, who sold to J. H. Hamner, in 1892. His daughter . . . — — Map (db m100448) HM

Created 1876. Name honors several Texas pioneers named Armstrong. Ranching became the chief industry when huge JA Ranch was established here in 1876.
Farming was introduced after the railroad came through, 1887. County was organized in 1890. . . . — — Map (db m96833) HM

Erected in 1953, this building is constructed of stone used to build the first masonry jail in Armstrong County, 1894. Stone for the structure (which replaced a primitive, frame "calaboose") was quarried 14 miles south at Dripping Springs in Palo . . . — — Map (db m96830) HM

One of the oldest Scout troops west of the Mississippi River, this group was organized in May 1912 by pioneer physician Dr. W. A. Warner (1864-1934). The first troop of about 30 boys met in a room above Dr. Warner's drugstore and office. Because of . . . — — Map (db m96837) HM

Winner, Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism during the Allied Forces’ invasion of Peleliu in the western Pacific in World War II. On July 21, 1945, he was decorated posthumously by presentation of his medal to his mother, Armstrong County . . . — — Map (db m62834) HM

Claude native Charles H. Roan volunteered for World War II service in the U.S. Marine Corps in December 1942. On active duty in the Pacific, he was killed in battle on Peleliu Island when he threw himself on a Japanese grenade, thereby saving the . . . — — Map (db m96839) HM

Dan Cavanagh settled here in 1885 and bought this land in 1888. In 1890 he gave a grave site for railroad worker Neal DeBerry. Settler C.C. Bates was buried in 1890, and early burials from the Fort Worth & Denver Railroad right-of-way were later . . . — — Map (db m100495) HM

Two of the most admired and beloved pioneer citizens of Armstrong County, Dr. Warner (1864-1934) was a country physician and his wife Phebe (Kerrick) (1866-1935) was an ardent humanitarian.
Natives of Illinois, they were married in Claude in . . . — — Map (db m96834) HM

William Miles Dye was born in Kentucky in 1864 and moved to Texas with his parents in 1870. He settled in this area in 1891, one year after the organization of Armstrong County. By hauling rock from Palo Duro Canyon, Dye helped in the construction . . . — — Map (db m100511) HM

Inheriting peacekeeping duty from 1874-90 ranchers, the early sheriffs of Armstrong County (organized 1890) won great public regard. With their families, these men lived in jail quarters and fed the prisoners. There was no salary; fees were earned . . . — — Map (db m96831) HM

Organized on May 18, 1890, by 19 charter members, with the Rev. B. E. Hure as moderator. The Rev. Count C. Storts was the first resident pastor. The congregation worshipped in the Presbyterian church building until 1899, when a frame sanctuary was . . . — — Map (db m100492) HM

Born in Chester County, Tenn., son of Joseph Cyrus and Emily Kirk Carroll. Married Claudia Haltom, 1900. Graduated 1901 from University of Tennessee. Moved to Claude, 1914. In career of 54 years, delivered over 2500 babies.
A staunch Democrat; a . . . — — Map (db m100494) HM

Named for Will H. Hamblen (1878 - 1952), who in 1890's pioneered a crude road (about 6 mi. N) into Palo Duro Canyon along old Indian trails. This cut 120 mi off the settlers' trips to courthouse in Claude, but was steep and dangerous.
Hamblen . . . — — Map (db m23982) HM

Led by Francisco Vazquez de Coronado, this trail-blazing expedition set out from Mexico City in 1541 in search of Cibola, fabled 7 Cities of Gold. Finding only Indian pueblos, Coronado changed his course for Quivira, a supposedly wealthy Indian . . . — — Map (db m96835) HM

Although most Indians had left the Texas Panhandle by the 1880s, fear of Indian attacks was still prevalent among settlers who arrived in the next decade. On Jan. 29, 1891, rumors of approaching Indians spread throughout the entire region. For three . . . — — Map (db m96838) HM

Founded when Fort Worth & Denver Railroad built into area (1887). Claude Ayers, engineer on first passenger train through here, suggested town be named for him — and citizens agreed.
Jerry Cavanaugh, first resident, gave land for town. . . . — — Map (db m96836) HM

In the opening battle of the U.S. Army's 1874 Indian campaign against the Southern Plains Indian Tribes, a force of 744 soldiers under Col. Nerlson A. Miles fought a 5-hour running battle with the Cheyenne, Comanche and Kiowa 10 mi. E. of this . . . — — Map (db m100514) HM

Early settlers Dario and Manuelita Douglas Tober acquired land here in 1877 and later set aside this site for a family cemetery. The oldest marked grave, that of teenager Nieves Douglas Tober, dates to 1903. The Tober family deeded the original . . . — — Map (db m56664) HM

Near the Old San Patricio Trail, leading from San Antonio to McMullen and McGloin colony, in area of Gulf of Mexico. In this vicinity were stage stops at Belle Branch, Rock Spring, Rountree's, and Tordilla. Land was part of the Butler, Hickok, Tom . . . — — Map (db m56591) HM

As early as 1722 El Camino Real (The King's Highway) from the Rio Grande to San Antonio was well established in this area. The Spanish word "Atascosa," denoting boggy ground that hindered travel, gave region its name. The county was created in 1856 . . . — — Map (db m56663) HM

Atascosa County was created from Bexar County in 1856. The first county seat was at Navatasco, on land donated by Jose Antonio Navarro, and the county's first courthouse was a log cabin. The county seat was moved to Pleasanton in 1858, and a frame . . . — — Map (db m56584) HM

This log cabin is a replica of first courthouse built 1856 near Amphion (Navatasco) 9 miles to the northwest, on site given by Jose Antonio Navarro out of his 1828 grant from Coahuila and Texas. A signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, he . . . — — Map (db m56636) HM

In 1909, Jourdan Campbell (1867-1938) and Theodore H. Zanderson (1854-1927) established the Jourdanton community, named for Campbell, on the eastern edge of their Toby Ranch property. Jourdan Campbell was born in Atascosa County, and was a merchant . . . — — Map (db m56595) HM

T.H. Zanderson and city namesake Jourdan Campbell bought the 40,000-acre Toby Ranch in 1907 and laid out the town of Jourdanton. The original plat included two blocks designated for use as a cemetery. The Artesian Belt Railroad built through the . . . — — Map (db m56665) HM

The Methodist church in Jourdanton formally organized in 1909, the same year that the City of Jourdanton was founded. The church began as the Jourdanton Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and was a member of the Uvalde District in the West Texas . . . — — Map (db m56666) HM

By the early 20th century the ranching industry that spurred the growth of Atascosa County had begun to wane, with many large ranches split into smaller ranches, farms and town lots. George M. Martin realized the importance of a company to research . . . — — Map (db m56667) HM

County officials rented a small Jourdanton house for a jail in 1911 after the county seat was moved here from Pleasanton in 1910. A proposal to build a new jail with cells from the old Pleasanton structure was rejected and this reinforced-concrete, . . . — — Map (db m56585) HM

R. R. "Railroad" Smith (1880-1944) was born in Gonzales County to Alexander Frohock and Mary McGill (Mathews) Smith. Around 1907, Smith moved to Atascosa County where he opened up a law practice and entered into the newspaper business with a cousin. . . . — — Map (db m56668) HM

St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church has served this area of Atascosa County since 1918. Around that time, the now-dispersed farming settlement of Dobrowolski was growing, and the mostly Lutheran population needed a place of worship. At first, the . . . — — Map (db m56670) HM

Texas' bloodiest military engagement -- the Battle of Medina -- may have taken place in this general vicinity in 1813. The early 19th century was a time of political upheaval, and in 1812, while the U.S. was at war with England, Spain faced revolts . . . — — Map (db m56597) HM

Brite Cemetery has served citizens of Atascosa County since the 1850s. It was formally set aside when Thomas Ransdele Brite passed away in 1859, though the earliest marked burial is that of his infant son, Dan (d. 1854). Thomas Brite was born in . . . — — Map (db m56588) HM

The first burial in this graveyard, that of fourteen-year-old John Uzell, took place in 1857. The land at that time belonged to Isaac H. Cavender, Sr., who was related to Uzell. Cavender allowed other burials on his property and soon the graveyard . . . — — Map (db m56610) HM

Organized by eleven Master Masons in Benton City in 1872 and chartered June 9, 1873, by Grand Lodge of Texas. First hall, erected of stone in 1876, provided space for public school. The lodge, which has furnished social and cultural leadership to . . . — — Map (db m56586) HM

First public cemetery in this community, which was famous in early days for its outstanding school, aggressive businesses, and newspaper, the Benton City "Era." Site was given by James M. Jones, farmer-livestock raiser and leading citizen, whose . . . — — Map (db m56587) HM

Dr. J.V.E. Covey and 16 charter members organized this church in April 1893 and held their first meeting under a stand of oak trees. A small frame building was later built, becoming their first permanent church building. Early baptisms were . . . — — Map (db m56593) HM

According to oral history, the Lytle Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was founded in 1889. W.C. Newton, a local farmer and preacher, became known as "The Father of the Lytle Methodist Church" due to his efforts to establish a permanent place of . . . — — Map (db m56596) HM

Chartered March 27, 1871, on petition of Master Masons of Pleasanton Lodge No. 283, A.F. and A.M., and the surrounding area. Met in upper floor of the Isaac Cooper home until 1891; over Cooper Brothers store until Masonic Hall was built in 1961. . . . — — Map (db m56589) HM

Established on land purchased in 1901, the town of Coughran was named for founder and early settler W. A. "Abe" Coughran. He persuaded the San Antonio, Uvalde and Gulf Raildroad to build tracks through his property. The town was platted in 1913; by . . . — — Map (db m56590) HM

On December 16, 1866, seven charter members met together to organize the First Baptist Church of Pleasanton. They met for worship in a variety of places, including the county courthouse in 1867, a schoolhouse south of town in 1870, and the Rock . . . — — Map (db m56594) HM

Constructed of locally quarried red sandstone, the Old Rock Schoolhouse was built in 1874 with funds pledged by citizens of Pleasanton. Once completed, the building was deeded to the county for free public school purposes. In addition to its . . . — — Map (db m56605) HM

Named for early Texas settler John Pleasants, by John Bowen (d.1867), San Antonio's first Anglo-American postmaster. Bowen, assisted financially by associate Henry L. Radaz, in Sept. 1858 founded this town at the juncture of Atascosa River and . . . — — Map (db m56599) HM

Begun in 1865 as a family burial ground, the Pleasanton City Cemetery is a reflection of the history of the community from its earliest days. The first burial was that of three-year-old Gustave B. Doak, whose parents, Jonathan and Mary Elizabeth . . . — — Map (db m56600) HM

This congregation was organized in 1857, one year before the city of Pleasanton was founded. The church was established largely through the efforts of early Methodist circuit preachers such as John Wesley DeVilbliss and Augustus C. Fairman, who . . . — — Map (db m56601) HM

Pleasanton School District began educating African American children in 1913 with the creation of the Abraham Lincoln School. By 1955, students from the Lincoln School and white students were participating in football workouts together and . . . — — Map (db m56602) HM

Between 1850 and 1860, Manuel, Enrique, and Francisco Esparza brought their families to settle in what is now Atascosa County. The brothers, along with their sister and mother, were within the walls of the Alamo when it fell to the Mexicans in March . . . — — Map (db m56608) HM

By 1855, settlers primarily from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee, as well as some of Spanish origin, were making their homes in this area and calling themselves Lucas Community because of their proximity to Lucas . . . — — Map (db m56611) HM

Amphion traces its beginning to the establishment of Atascosa County's first courthouse which is believed to have been constructed near this site at the county seat of Navatasco in 1857. Amphion, thought to have been named after a figure in Greek . . . — — Map (db m56582) HM

The family of William and Mary Allen Stiggins emigrated here from Prince Edward Island, Canada, in 1882. Included in the group were their daughter Mary Jane (1855-1935), who had studied medicine, and her fiancé Thomas Whittet (1838-1913), a former . . . — — Map (db m56633) HM

The town of Poteet traces its history to the 1880s, when Francis Marion Poteet (1833-1907) established a mercantile store northeast of this area. A blacksmith and farmer as well as a merchant, Poteet began providing mail service to his customers. . . . — — Map (db m56603) HM

This land had once been allocated in the 1700s as a ranch for Mission San Jose in San Antonio (20 mi. N), but in the 1820s was left unsettled. In 1828 prominent San Antonio resident Jose Antonio Navarro (1795-1871) beseeched the Governor of the . . . — — Map (db m56598) HM

First Scottish community in southwest Texas. Founded 1873 by brothers William F.M. Ross and John C. Ross. Born in north Scotland, they came to Texas in 1867. Here they were awarded a contract to carry U.S. Mail. On the route, they noticed fertile . . . — — Map (db m56606) HM

Organized under a tree near this site on August 27, 1882, the pioneer Sand Branch Baptist Church began with twelve members from the surrounding rural area. Elder C.B. Hukill served as the congregation's first pastor. Early worship services, . . . — — Map (db m56609) HM

Organized as Medina Baptist Church in April 1857 at Mann's Crossing, near Macdona. Until 1866, when members built an arbor here near Old Somerset, the services were held in homes or in a schoolhouse.
Site for meetinghouse and cemetery (2.5 . . . — — Map (db m56604) HM

In Jan. 1831 Charles Fordtran, a German of Huguenot descent, joined the colony of Stephen F. Austin. His first work was to survey land for Austin's partner, Samuel May Williams. He was given a league (4,428.4 acres) as his fee. Soon he brought in . . . — — Map (db m30780) HM

Nicholaus Henniger (1794-1853) came to Texas from Germany in 1847 with his wife Fredericke and children Christian, Hermann, August, Caroline and Pauline. On his farm he built a log house, kept peace with passing Indians, and prospered as a . . . — — Map (db m96289) HM

In 1926, Jan Jindrich Frnka (d. 1935) and his wife, Cecilie (Kroulik) (d. 1933), conveyed property to three trustees for use as a family burial ground. J.J. and Cecilie Frnka were parents of thirteen children; all of the children, with the exception . . . — — Map (db m30737) HM

The town of New Ulm was originally called Duff's Settlement at the time of its founding, and was named for James C. Duff, who in 1841 acquired title to the site upon which the settlement was founded. A post office began operation in 1853. At that . . . — — Map (db m30726) HM

Named for 1822 settler David Shelby, this town grew up at the mill of German pioneer Otto Von Roeder. The Ohlendorfs, Vogelsangs, Rothermels, and Vanderwerths arrived in 1845; other Germans came in ensuing years. The post office opened 1846 with . . . — — Map (db m96288) HM

Near this site stood
A Town Hall
Built about 1830
in which were held
the First and Second Conventions
of Texas, 1832 and 1833,
and the Consultation of 1835
the provisional government functioned
here until March 2, 1836, when . . . — — Map (db m43759) HM

During the mid-1820's, When Stephen F. Austin was founding this town, the only roads in the area were wagon ruts or beaten trails marked by notched trees. Within a decade, however, the village of San Felipe, one of the first Anglo settlements in . . . — — Map (db m43718) HM

Built by John Crutcher in 1847 on the Plaza de Commercio in San Felipe, this was the last store built in the town after its 1836 burning by military order. Purchased in 1867 by Dr. J.J. Josey, it was in continuous operation as a store until 1942. . . . — — Map (db m43760) HM

In memory of
John Bricker
a private in Captain Mosley Baker’s
company, who was killed just
across the river from this site
April 7th 1836 by a shot from a
Mexican cannon, and was buried
where he fell. He was born in
Cumberland . . . — — Map (db m43758) HM

Replica of
Stephen F. Austin's Cabin
This structure is a replica of the only Texas home of Stephen F. Austin, “Father of Texas.” The chimney contains bricks from original (1828) cabin. Other materials were made as authentically . . . — — Map (db m43761) HM

Sealy's German immigrants were famous for their love of music. A group of men, some of them Sealy's pioneer settlers, had formed a singing society, called Liedertafel, by 1899. They met primarily in the home of Ferdinand Lux. Lux and Fritz Kinkler, . . . — — Map (db m71567) HM